1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to performance information edit and playback apparatuses that edit performance information to play back automatic performance and automatic accompaniment by computer music systems such as electronic musical instruments.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, engineers design and propose computer music systems such as electronic musical instruments that reproduce performance information, which is called style data containing tone pitch data and timing data, to play back automatic accompaniment. The style data contain multiple parts for percussion instruments, accompaniment, etc. In addition, users of the electronic musical instruments can create or edit user's performance data containing multiple parts, by which musical performance is to be played back.
As for edit and playback of the performance information, the conventional apparatuses provide various functions, which are described below.
That is, user's performance data are created using style data containing multiple parts. Herein, a copy function is provided to copy the style data as the user's performance data on a storage, wherein the style data represent styles each having one or more parts. Conventionally, the style data are written to a storage area of the user's performance data by units of styles respectively. Namely, all parts of the style are collectively written to the storage area.
In a playback mode, there is provided a function that enables simultaneous reproduction of the user's performance data and style data.
In a record mode, there is provided a function in which the user designates a certain part of the user's performance data by operating a record switch and a start switch so that performance data are to be recorded on the storage or media with respect to the designated part.
However, the conventional apparatuses bear various problems with regard to the aforementioned functions. As for the copy function in which the style data are copied (or written) into the user's performance data, for example, all parts of the style are collectively written to the storage area of the user's performance data. This raises an inconvenience in which the user is unable to create ‘frequently-used’ performance data by copying a selected part (or selected parts) of the style.
In addition, the conventional apparatuses are restricted in functions such that the user's performance data and style data are simultaneously reproduced. This raises a problem in which the user is unable to always play back musical performance in a desired manner. In some cases, both of the style data and user's performance data contain parts that are assigned to a same tone-generation channel of a sound source in a duplicate manner. In those cases, the apparatus plays back a musical tune containing merging of the parts which are subjected to duplicate assignment to the same tone-generation channel of the sound source in the duplicate manner. Therefore, the user may feel inconvenience due to unintentional merging of parts that occur in the musical tune being played back.
In the case of the record mode that enables recording upon user's operations regarding the record switch and start switch, the conventional apparatus does not provide distinction in display between a recording part, which is set to a record mode, and a non-recording part which is not set to the record mode. The conventional apparatus does not provide a distinction between the aforementioned parts in display, so that the user is unable to visually grasping whether the recording is actually performed on the performance data or not. This raises an inconvenience for the user due to inadequate display as representation of the recording status.